The Penguin Society
by mary0111
Summary: Ciel is dragged to a LGBT group by Alois, where he meets Sebastian. He can't keep his eyes, or hands off the older man, but are their differences, and circumstances, determined to stop Ciel from getting what he wants? AU. VERY AU. And maybe slightly OOC in places. Rated M for lemon and language.
1. Chapter 1

Hey! New story, new fandom (old fandom for me, but new writing for it).

I wrote the first few chapters of this about a month ago, but only just uploaded them. THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE, I'M WARNING YOU - A DOUBLE UPDATE.

Also, this is AU. I'm trying to keep them kinda in character, but because it's a different time period (this is set in modern times), the way they act will be a bit different, but I'll keep the basic characteristics there.

My friend gave me the idea for this story - actually, she's never heart of Kuroshitsuji, but she gave me the title and the idea for a story, and I just shoved Ciel and Sebby in there.

So yeah, please, go feast your eyes on my new story, and not just any new story, my first multi-chap story! Now, go! Read! Read and then review!

* * *

Alois stumbled out of the narrow stairwell and ran out of the door. He turned sharply on the heel of his boot and punched his thumb against the silver button labelled '6 - C. Faustas'. It beeped and for a moment, all Alois could hear was static and then Claude's voice was ringing out through the speaker.

"Hello?"

"It's me."

"Oh, it's you. That was quick. You only told me to 'get the fuck out of your life', now, what was it," there was a pause, "32, 33, 34 seconds ago. Did you change your mind that quickly? This must be a new record-"

"Shut the fuck up you arsehole. I just thought I should make it entirely clear that we're broken up. I didn't exactly specify that inside and I didn't want you to think we were still together." he growled, voice showering Claude's ears with contempt. "You know, after two years. By the way, you are aware that this time, I'm not coming back. Not ever. So you can forget whatever kinky little fantasy you might be concocting right now about me begging for you to take me back. Because that's not going to happen!"

Claude laughed, a short bark that caused Alois to jump and steady himself against the red brick of the porch wall. "You are so out of it. What was it this time? Week? Ecstacy? Crack? Or just plain, good old alcohol?"

Alois concentrated on not falling over and when he omitted to answer, Claude continued speaking. "Anyway, I'm not coming up with any fantasies, especially not about the guy who just dumped me for the sixteenth time in two years. Although, I must admit I'm looking forward to you coming back in the next few days, trying to apologize and win me over again, because this time, I'm done. No more games Alois. I'm done." And then he cut off the intercom leaving a very confused, disbelieving and incredibly drunk Alois standing on the doorstep of his apartment complex.

* * *

"Alois!" Elizabeth's shocked and slightly horrified expression perfectly matched her tone of voice. "It's 1am! What are you do- wait. Claude?" Her eyebrows rose expectantly and she let out an exasperated sigh as the blond nodded dejectedly. "Why are you here?"

Alois glanced at his feet which were shuffling slightly on the faded blue pile carpet of the corridor, and when he spoke, his voice was small. "Please could I stay here tonight?"

"Alois!" Elizabeth all but threw her hands up in despair. "You have your own apartment!"

"Yes," he replied quietly, "but it's full of reminders of Claude."

"Ugh! Okay! Come in. But _you_ can explain everything to Ciel when he gets home. I'm going back to bed." And then she turned on her heel and marched back to her room, sun coloured curls bouncing against her pale shoulders.

Alois sighed quietly and sank into the faded red sofa, closing his eyes and trying to ignore the pounding in his head and the dull ache in his chest.

* * *

Not 15 minutes later, Alois heard a key in the door and without opening his eyes, knew from the footsteps that it was Ciel.

He jumped up from the sofa as Ciel stopped, surprised, in the doorway.

"Alois."

"Hey." Alois couldn't raise his voice above a whisper as it suddenly hit him that he couldn't talk to _Ciel_ about heartache and relationship problems. But he had no one else. His friends at the society loved Claude, and his friends at University were tired of listening to his relationship issues. And he had no one else. But there was no way he could talk to Ciel about how he felt. That just wouldn't be fair.

Ciel took a few hurried steps forward as he saw his friend's expression, worry warping his delicate features. "Alois, what's wrong?" he asked, concern tumbling out amongst his words. "Alois! Tell me! What's the matter?" He grabbed his friend, one arm gripping the blond's left shoulder and the other curling around his waist and supporting the fragile body as it buckled.

"Alois!" He cried out as he lay the boy back down on the sofa and shook him. "Alois! Come on, you prat! Wake up! Alois!"

Elizabeth came running out of her room just as Alois' eyelids fluttered slightly. "What's going on?" She took one look at the waxen faced boy lying on the cushions with the equally pale and terrified looking one kneeling over him and ran towards them, making incoherent panic noises.

When she finally managed to speak normally, she turned to Ciel who hadn't moved from him watchful position over the blond, avid gaze boring into the eyelids that would flicker every few moments, as if the owner was trying to open then, but hadn't quite the strength.

"Ciel, w- what happened?"

"I just arrived home and as I walked in here, he stood up and said hey in a really quite and uncharacteristic way so I asked what was wrong and then he just collapses. I caught him and laid him down, but..." his voice trailed off, but his eye had never left Alois' face for the entirety of the explanation. "Why is he here?" he finally asked when Elizabeth didn't respond.

"Him and Claude..." was all she offered by way of explanation, knowing that nothing more expound was necessary.

"Shit… Not again…"

Elizabeth made a noise halfway between a snort and a sound of agreement.

"Okay, fair enough," Ciel agreed, "I'm not all that surprised, it's just… Claude makes him so happy during their good periods." His blue eye darted back to Alois, whose eyelids had ceased flickering. "I hate seeing my best friend in the state that breakups always leave him in."

Elizabeth's eyes followed Ciel's to the sofa and her voice lowered to a murmur. "I think he's asleep. I'll go find him a blanket, " she added as she stood up.

"You're too good to him!" Ciel called quietly after her.

"I'm too good to most people!" Came her laughter tinted reply.

Ciel chuckled softly. "That's true," he whispered to no one in particular as he squeezed his unconscious friend's hand once and silently left the room.

* * *

When Alois awoke, all bleary eyed and hung-over, it took him a few disconcerting seconds to remember where he was, which led to him remembering the previous night's argument and resultant split. With a painful sigh, he threw his arm across his eyes and groaned inwardly, and then, when it did nothing to ease his feeling of 'oh God, I really fucked up', outwardly too.

Lifting his arm from his face, he looked at the expensive watch that was permanently clasped around his wrist, squinting in an attempt to make out the numbers. The big hand was just past the two, and the little hand… "Oh fucking bloody mother of fucking hell." 5:13am. He'd been asleep for less than four hours and had college in another three - come to think of it, how had he fallen asleep? He didn't remember much except Ciel getting home and himself realizing that he didn't have anyone to talk to about his-

"Aagghhh!"The guttural shout echoed through the silent apartment. Alois slapped a hand over his lips and cursed into his palm. "Shit!"

Ciel's door flew open and the brunette ran into the lounge, closely followed by Elizabeth from her room.

Alois' face contorted into the most apologetic expression he could muster and peeked over the top of the sofa at his two concerned and by now, very confused, friends.

"Sorry…" he grimaced ruefully. "I just…" he tried to explain, voice trailing off as he tried to remember _why_ he'd shouted. "Headache," he lied. "Y'know, hangover and… memories of yesterday."

"Oh." Elizabeth looked understanding and moved forward to touch the back of his hand supportively. "Me and Ciel, we're here for you, you know that. Don't worry." When Ciel didn't say anything to back her up, she turned her head to look at him. "Ciel?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. Lost in thought. Yeah, we're both here for you." He gave a half smile, which, if it hadn't looked like he was going to cry from the pain in the gesture, would have been sympathetic.

Alois gave his own half smile in return. "I'll be fine, thank you both for worrying about me." He looked down at his watch again. "We should probably all go back to sleep, what with classes in three or so hours."

Ciel laughed, a short, but genuine, laugh, and when the other two looked confused, he added "I don't have my first class until 11:30, so I've got time to get plenty of sleep!"

"Bastard!" Elizabeth admonished playfully, then looked at Alois. "And you?"

"Tutorial at nine, so I have to be up by 7:30 at the latest."

"Yeah me too," the blonde agreed. "Well, then, I'm going back to bed. I've been woken up twice tonight, and I intend on getting as much sleep as possible."

"I'm really sorry Lizzy," Alois apologized. "I didn't mean-"

"Its fine," she cut in. " Honestly, you're my friend and you needed help, so I'm truly happy to help you."

Alois looked relieved as she turned and walked back to her room. "Night!" He called after her as the door closed. "Erm, Ciel?" he questioned when his friend didn't move.

"Huh? Oh! Right. Sorry. Yeah, night then," and with that, Ciel disappeared too.

Alois forced himself not to think about the reasons behind Ciel's odd behavior and soon drifted back off to sleep.

In Ciel's room however, it was a different story. He tossed and turned, just like he did every night, sleep evading him in the way a half-remembered dream does in the early morning. He lay there in the dark, finding sleep even more difficult to clasp onto when the cause of his sleepless nights was lying all but five meters away, asleep on his sofa.

It was true, although he didn't go spreading it around. Ciel Phantomhive was in love with Alois Trancy.

* * *

Noooo! Don't hate me (those of you who hate Ciel and Alois together)! As the story details state, this is Ciel/Sebastian; the Ciel/Alois stuff is just a plot device *manic laughter*


	2. Chapter 2

Next chapter! Straight away! Love me! (please?) *puppy eyes*

Ugh... there are so many things wrong with this chapter... But I couldn't be bothered to change any more of it, so I just uploaded it. Unbeta-d. Oh yeah. The first chapter was too, but I forgot to say. So don't hate on me!

Anyway, stop reading my babble and go read the story! That's what you came here for, right?

* * *

Alois knew, although they chose, by unspoken mutual agreement not to _ever_ mention it. Most of the time, it wasn't a problem, and they got on in the way that all friends do. It was just sometimes, when Alois' relationship with Claude was the main topic of conversation, or when it was just the two of this alone, watching a film, or sitting in silence, having run out of conversation topics, that Ciel's feelings became an elephant in the centre of the small apartment that both were determined to ignore and yet constantly accidently acknowledge with bitten off sentences and speedy conversation changes.

It was no secret at the university that Alois was gay and Ciel was bisexual, which, inevitably, had let to people enquiring about the nature of their, well, friendship, some called it, whilst 'relationship' was another term thrown around for a while, since it covered both romantic and non romantic situations. The males had both quite happily informed the questioners that they were just friends and everything seemed fine between them, until about eight months ago.

Alois and Claude had argued and broken up _again_, so late that night, Alois had turned up at Ciel's apartment with an array of liquors and proceeded to get the both of them rather drunk.

They had started to talk, the conversation flowing as freely as the drink and becoming increasingly personal as the alcohol levels decreased.

After about two hours of steady drinking and talking, Alois turned to Ciel and looked him right in the eye.

"Ciel," he half slurred. "Ciel, _I_ have a _question_ for you."

"Whatever could you want to know, dear friend?" Ciel replied, giggling slightly.

They were both sitting cross legged on the carpet and Alois leaned forward, pressing his hands down on Ciel's knees. Ciel could still remember the smell of whiskey on his breath as he leaned in until their faces were only about six or seven inches from each other.

Alois paused, seemingly searching for the right words, although in his inebriated state, _any_ coherent words would have been an achievement. "Y'know what people have been askin', y'know, lately, about us?" When Ciel nodded, wondering where Alois could be taking this and not daring to hope, the blond carried on. "Well. I was wondering what _you_" he prodded Ciel's chest, " thought about our 'relationship'."

"You know what I think," Ciel said, being sure to choose his words carefully. "I value your friendship more than anything else; we're best friends, and I hope we always stay that way. And nothing more!" he added hurriedly onto the end, just in case.

The blond giggled, a playfully mischievous expression on his face. "Are you sure?"

Ciel replied instantly. "Of course! What else could it be? I mean you have Claude-" He broke off as he realized what he's said. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to mention him…"

"I know you didn't. It's fine. Don't worry," Alois smiled wanly and sat back into his previous position.

There was a pause for a few minutes where they just sat there, observing each other in silence before Ciel, attempting to act nonchalant, spoke again.

"So why did you ask?"

"Ooooh! Someone's only thinking of that! Which means you're holding back something!"

Sometimes, Ciel hated the fact that Alois was studying psychology.

"No," he retorted. "I just want to know why you're asking."

"Well, since you seem to care so much, I shall inform you of my musings."

"Please do," Ciel responded, trying to hide his desperation to find out what made Alois ask. He didn't know if he had somehow accidentally revealed his feelings, or if Alois was just asking out of genuine curiosity, although he rather suspected the former.

"Well I was thinking the other day."

Ciel was too on edge to make a joke about Alois thinking so his mouth remained shut.

"And I realised that although I have- HAD Claude, I've never seen you with anyone else, or even heard of anyone you're remotely interested in."

"So? How does that link to the nature of our friendship?" Ciel's heart was in his mouth and it was all he could do to prevent his voice shaking.

"Well it _just_ occurred to me that maybe you like _me_, and could never do anything about it because of Claude."

Ciel just sat there, feeling physically sick and having absolutely no idea in hell how to respond. He had to remind himself that it was the copious amount of alcohol in Alois' body talking so he forced himself to laugh and pat his friend on the shoulder. "Oh Alois. How I love you" ('Shit, wrong choice of words.') "And your imagination. It really does make me laugh sometimes."

"Ciel." Alois' mouth twitched. " I wasn't born yesterday. Even someone who _was_ in fact born yesterday could see through a whopper of a lie like that one." The twitch had turned into a full on smirk that seemed to be enjoying itself, dancing around Alois' face and taunting Ciel.

The slate haired boy closed his eye. 'Shit shit shit shit shit.' He chanted over and over in his head. 'What do I say now? Ugh... I might as well admit it. I can't lie to him, not in this drunken state.'

When he looked back on this evening, he could see that as the moment that the alcohol finally grabbed him with both hands, tied little strings to all his limbs and used him as a makeshift puppet for its own entertainment.

"Yes, alright," he sighed, heart hammering inside his throat and making it difficult to speak. "I like you, as in likey-like you. As more than a friend. In a likey-like-like sense. You know, the likey-like that people call love."

Alois' smirk lingered for a moment as he took this in and then dripped off his face onto the floor, revealing a look of shock and 'oh fuck' behind it. "You... like me... as more that a friend?" He enquired slowly.

"No, weren't you listening? I _love_ you. As in love. Deep emotions, feelings, all that crap. Love."

"Oh."

"What? You did ask."

"Yeah, but I wasn't expecting _that_."

"Well you shouldn't have asked then! If there's a chance you won't like the answer, don't ask the question."

Ciel was angry now. He'd just admitted his deepest secret to his best friend and all he'd gotten in response was an argument.

"I thought, maybe, you'd say you wouldn't mind screwing me, but I didn't think you'd say you..." he broke off before the 'L' word was spoken again.

Ciel smirked suddenly, surprising even himself. "What would you have said if I'd replied as you thought I might?"

Alois looked confused.

"You know, if I'd replied saying I want to fuck you. How would you have responded?"

The blond contemplated this for a moment before glancing down then back up at Ciel's face. "I probably would've jumped you. But, don't take offence here, it's probably just because I'm hurting from the breakup. It would've been rebound sex. Which wouldn't be right."

"Yeah," Ciel agreed quietly. "It wouldn't have been fair on anyone."

After a short period of time had passed, and they'd both poured more drinks and by now, were _way_ past inebriated, Ciel suggested sleep.

After sliding the glasses, and by now near empty bottles over to the wall to be cleared in the morning, Alois stood up with the intention of heading towards the sofa but, as his alcohol-befuddled brain lost control of his legs, fell, flailing and heavy, onto Ciel.

For a moment, neither of them moved, Ciel staring down at Alois with his wide, blue eye, cheeks slightly flushed and lips parted tantalisingly in a broken off cry of surprise from where his friend had fallen, and Alois really couldn't help himself and suddenly he was pushing himself up and taking hold of Ciel's cheeks, fingertips brushing the few slate grey strands of hair that twisted under his ears, and pulling the slightly confused face towards his, and then their lips were meeting and Alois could taste the liquor on the rosy mouth. His tongue brushed over Ciel's fuller bottom lips, sliding wetly over the soft flesh, wiping away all traces of alcohol, feeling Ciel's slick muscle pushing against his, shoving both tongues back into the blonds' mouth and then Ciel was kissing him like there was no tomorrow and the kiss was all he had left.

Suddenly, Alois' mind filled with images of Claude, and he pulled away from his friend's desperate kiss, shocked at his drunken behaviour. He mentally slapped himself and detached his limbs from Ciel's embrace, standing and smoothing out his dishevelled clothes and sitting down on the far end of the sofa. "I think sleep would be a really good idea," he muttered, not able to look at Ciel. "See you in the morning." And then he lay down, rolled over and closed his eyes.

Ciel just sat, frozen, on the carpet for a moment, horrified at the just happened and Alois' reaction, and wanting more than anything to take back the past half an hour and go back to when their 'relationship' was best friends, and nothing more complicated.

With an inaudible sigh, he stood up on shaking legs and trod softly over to his room, silently closing the door between him and the blond.

* * *

So, yeah, tell me what you think? And if I get nice reviews, I'll type chapter three sooner! (I've already written up to the end of four, so reviews will make the next chapter come sooner!


	3. Chapter 3

Wow, you guys! I am so happy with the response I got for the first two chapters! Reviews, alerts and favourites! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated sooner, but I haven't had the time to type up the chapter (it's been written since I posted the first two) *grovels* Sorry! Chapter four is just over half written, and everything so far has been typed, so hopefully it won't take as long as this one!

Another apology: Sorry for the copious amounts of description in this chapter (the end might make up for it (slightly)) - it is necessary. Also, you get to see what The Penguin Society is (if the story summary didn't give it away) and meet some new characters! I'll explain about them in my A/N at the end of the chapter.

So, without further ado, I present to you (hey, that rhymes!)... Chapter three! Go, read, now! :)

* * *

After falling asleep at an ungodly hour, Ciel was woken, most unpleasantly, from his restless sleep by the incessant bleeping of his alarm clock. He removed a pale arm from his warm duvet cocoon and fumbled for the 'off' button before he rolled over and groaned.

"Ugghhh!" His arm flopped down hard over his brow and he used it to sloppily rub the last dregs of sleep from his face before opening his eye. He could see the faint glare of light seeping round the edges of his curtains and for some reason, there was an awful nagging in his head, telling him that he's forgotten something terribly important.

As he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, it suddenly hit him. "Shit!" he cursed, grinding his forehead into his palm and then wincing in pain. "Oh bloody hell! How did I forget-" he cut himself off, and when he spoke again, his voice had risen to a frantic, high pitch. "How did I sleep with him barely five meters away?" He fell back limply onto the mattress, replaying the previous night, with all its interruptions, back over in his head.

"So he broke up with Claude again. Well nothing new there. And then he passed out in front of me. Nothing new there either. And _then_ he woke Lizzie and me up about" he glanced at the clock, "five hours ago."

Ciel suddenly sat up. "And he- oh, thank God, said he had a lecture early this morning, so I won't have to face him!" Relief rushed over him, calming his pulse and relaxing all his tensed muscles. As much as he still considered Alois his best and closest friend, Ciel's confession (that, unfortunately, Alois _had_ remembered) had shaken their friendship right to the core and it was still in the process of being fitted back together, much like a city after an earthquake, although by now, only a few less obvious cracks remained.

* * *

After getting up and dressed, Ciel grabbed a chocolate croissant and left to make the 20 minute walk to the university campus. He liked uni and found his course interesting and useful, if a little tedious in places; after all, business and economics wasn't renowned for being _fun_.

On arrival, he took the long route round the buildings to the theatre where his lecture was being held, taking care to avoid the building that the psychology classes were held in. He knew he was acting silly, and just delaying the inevitable, for he couldn't avoid Alois for the rest of his life, but he found it painful to see his friend just after a breakup, because it just reminded him firstly of his own feelings, which he would rather push to the back of his mind and _never_ think about, and secondly, the fact that Alois was not, and would never be his in the way that he so wanted him to be.

So Ciel chose to delay the inevitable and avoid Alois for as long as possible, knowing that when he did finally see him, it would hurt as much as if he saw him now, but it saved him from the pain for just that little bit longer.

* * *

He managed to evade the blond all day, until as he was leaving through the main gates, he walked directly into his friend's path. Knowing that there was no way he could pretend not to have seen him, he resigned himself and smiled broadly, albeit a little faked, and waved enthusiastically.

"Ciel!" Alois bounded up to him and enveloped Ciel's petite body in a hug, pounding his back in greeting before pulling away and regarding him with a sincere expression. "I really am so incredibly sorry about turning up at your flat like that last night, too drunk to retain consciousness and then waking you up so early this morning. If it makes you feel any better, I had _the_ worst hangover when I tried to get up this morning. Lizzie literally had to drag me off the sofa and into the bathroom so I could splash cold water on my face. Which didn't really help." He paused for a second to take a breath then carried on before Ciel could reply. "I already apologized to her and bought her breakfast at that little café she loves, so to make it up to you, I'm going to take you out to this clubby society thing I go to tonight."

"Um, clubby society thing?" Ciel questioned.

"It's this LGBT group called The Penguin Society. I've been going for about six months now. Erm, Claude introduced me to it. I love it there; it's great hanging out with a load of like minded people."

Ciel looked a little confused. "Okay, few questions here, firstly, aren't _I_ a like minded person?"

"Oh, yes, of course, but this is a huge group of them."

"Right, okay. Second question. If Claude introduced you, won't he be there?"

"Nope." Alois tried to look unaffected by the mention of Claude. "He doesn't have enough time to go now, what with work commitments and stuff."

"Well, okay then."

Alois smiled brightly. "Next question!"

"I'm not entirely sure I want to know, but I'm going to ask anyway. Why haven't you taken me before?"

His friend did actually have the decency to look embarrassed. "Um, well, it was something I wasn't sure if you'd want to do - I mean, I know you're totally open about your orientation but even I felt a bit awkward the first time I went and you're a lot more easily embarrassed than I am…" his voice trailed off as he looked at Ciel's expression of disbelief and slight irritation.

"Alois, stop bullshitting and tell me the actual reason."

The blond shuffled his feet a little, hands twisting as he looked down. "I-I'd rather not say it."

"Alois." Ciel's voice had a cold warning tone to it that said 'Don't make me ask again.'

""Okay! Okay! Um, I erm, well, I… I didn't want to take you to a gay society with my boyfriend because… becauseofyourfeelingsforme." He garbled the last bit at a speed that only _just_ allowed Ciel to understand what he's said. Suddenly, both of them were shuffling their toes whilst finding the pavement incredibly fascinating. It was the first time it had been spoken out loud since that drunken late night confession all those months ago.

"Well," Ciel said, finally breaking the embarrassed silence. "Thanks for telling the truth." He looked back up at his friend. "I'd be happy to come with you tonight. What time and where?"

Alois' face was still blanched from the shock of broaching the forbidden subject and it took him a moment gather a reply together. "I'll pick you up around eight. Dress nice, but not too fancy, and don't bother bringing any money for entrance or the bar - I'm paying.

"Okay." Ciel smiled slightly. "See you at eight."

* * *

At two minutes past eight, Alois knocked on the beige wood door of Ciel's apartment, wearing a white high necked shirt with a large black bow tied round his neck, a pair of straight legged navy trousers, a dark green waistcoat and a purple coat that came in at the waist and flared out down to his knees. His feet were shoed in navy boots that had a slight heel and clacked against the floor as he walked. He knew what suited him, and he wore it with confidence; not caring about any odd looks he received in public.

Ciel, on the other hand, merely threw clothes on with barely a second thought, so when he opened the door, Alois couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

"You actually made an effort with your outfit." He said after a shocked moment.

"Do you like it?" Ciel looked anxious and was chewing his bottom lip slightly.

Alois drew a small circle in the air with his index finger and Ciel followed his instructions, rotating slowly on the spot so his friend could see his entire outfit.

He was wearing a pair of impossibly tiny black skinny jeans (that still managed to look loose around his miniscule hips) that were held up by a pair of teal suspenders with silver clasps over a loose white shirt. The shirt was half untucked; the sleeves were rolled up to Ciel's elbows and the two top buttons and the last button were unfastened. On his feet was a pair of black buckled boots that reached halfway up his calves, but were only laced through two thirds of the holes, leaving the tops of the boots to fall slightly away from his slim legs, breaking up the narrow silhouette of them.

Alois whistled slowly. "Fuck… Well, how about that… You actually have a decent sense of style. Who'd have guessed it? Although won't you be cold? It's October."

"Ah! I almost forgot!" Ciel dashed back inside before returning a moment later with a Black double-breasted wool coat slung over his arm. "Let's go!" he called and set off down the corridor with an astonished Alois following in his wake.

* * *

Alois had a taxi waiting that dropped them off outside an inconspicuous looking building set back from the road mad of brownish red brick and mildew. Ciel glanced at it, and then at Alois with a 'what the fuck is the place?' expression plastered over his delicate features.

"It's okay," the blond reassured him. "It's a lot nicer on the inside. We've got the bar on the top floor."

Ciel was left with no choice but to follow his friend towards the damp, old building on the corner of an even damper, older street. "I thought you said we had to pay for entrance." he questioned as they passed through the front door without challenge.

Alois began climbing a narrow staircase, treading a worn path on the carpet in his little boots and as Ciel started the ascent behind him, he called over his shoulder "We pay entrance to the room we hired, so at the top of these stairs - not the front door."

"Oh." was the only response Ciel could come up with as he focused on manoeuvring his tight-jean-clad legs up the ridiculously steep stairs.

As they reached the top and rounded a corner, Ciel saw a slim but strong looking man lounging on a chair outside the door, smoking a cigarette. To his surprise, he found that he recognised the man.

"Cam?" he asked, before even realising he had spoken.

The man looked up, his dark blond hair flopping over his forehead and ears. His eyes widened in recognition as he saw the boys. "Ciel! Alois! Haven't seen you in a while, blondie. And Ciel, this your first time?" He took a drag on the cigarette then exhaled slowly.

Alois, seemingly comfortable with the man, spoke first. "Yeah, I haven't been able to get here in a while and it _is_ Ciel's first venture into The Penguin."

Ciel made a mental note to ask about the group's name later.

"Well then guys. Five pounds each." He held out his hand expectantly and Alois slid a tenner between Cam's index and middle fingers. He turned back to Ciel who was just opening his wallet. "Hey! I told you not to bring money! I'm bringing you here to make up for passing out on your sofa last night and so I will pay."

Ciel put his wallet away without hesitation. Alois was loaded anyway, and he wasn't going to argue when someone insisted on paying for him. He looked back over at Cam who was taking lazy drags on his cigarette and watching the boys with an expression that seemed to combine boredom and interest at the same time.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Ciel asked him. "I thought you were straight? Well, you always seem to be surrounded by girls, or is that your way of hiding it?"

Cam laughed, and some ash from the cigarette fell onto his thighs, which was quickly flicked away by a lethargic hand movement. "Just because I'm straight doesn't mean I can't earn some extra money working as a 'bouncer' a few times a week. I mean, I don't really care where I work, and I have nothing against gays; as long as I get paid - and who wouldn't want to get paid for sitting around - I don't care where I am."

"Well, fair's fair, I supp-" he was cut off as Alois grabbed his arm and headed towards the door.

"Stop flirting!" the blond chided playfully.

"Oh! Wait, no, no!" He looked back at Cam. "I wasn't flirting, I swear!"

Cam laughed loudly. "It's okay, mate. I know you weren't. Have a good evening!" he called after them, voice muffled as the door swung shut behind them.

"How on earth do you know Cam?" Alois asked, turning around and releasing his grip on Ciel's arm.

Ciel stared at him. "Seriously? You don't know? He goes to the same university as us. Studies PE. He and Lizzie had a 'thing' once. He's got a bit of a reputation as a man whore, but he's lovely really.

"Oh right." Alois' look of confusion cleared. "Anyway, you want me to tell you who everyone is?"

For the first time since entering the room, Ciel looked around, taking in his surroundings. They were in a relatively large room, with round tables of various heights everywhere and over a dozen people dotted around, some deep in conversation, some drinking and one couple getting pretty well acquainted with each other's mouths. There was a longish bar along half of one of the walls with a single man in black standing behind it pouring drinks for a couple of guys who'd just ordered.

"That's Dan, the barman, although his grand ambition is to be a mixologist," Alois muttered in his ear as he let him over to a table at the side. He's a great laugh, although unless you want to get completely hammered in seconds, _never_order his special concoction. He calls it 'Fresh', but the only thing it'll do is leave you fresh out of brain cells."

Ciel laughed. "I'll try to remember that. Who are the guys ordering?"

Alois glanced up and then back to Ciel. "Bash and James. Best friends, nothing more. Ridiculously intelligent - three PhDs between them. They have a rather specific sense of humour, but are really great guys." He not-so-subtly pointed at two other men that the aforementioned were walking towards. "Tom and Josh. In a relationship. Cutest fucking couple you'll ever meet. They've been together for years. The two of them plus Bash and James make one big happy friendship group. Josh is at uni - not ours - and Tom works on films. He's training to be an editor."

Ciel went to ask a question but Alois had already started on the next table.

"Bard and Finny," he said, nodding towards a pair of blond guys leaning on a higher table, deep in an animated conversation with two girls. "Those two are the most regular attendees here. Bard's training to be a chef and Finny is an agriculture student."

"Who are the girls they're talking to? Ciel asked, his interest piqued by the odd outfits they were wearing. One was in a frilly violet Victorian-esque dress that flared out to her knees with matching bows in her wavy brown bunches and the other was in a top hat and tail coat.

"Jess and Saffron. Anime lovers. Artists. Best friends. Nothing romantic about it but they live together. Both ridiculously quirky but they don't care what anyone thinks."

Ciel nodded and then pointed towards a small group sitting around one of the lower tables. "And them?"

"The ginger girl is Melissa. She's got a reputation, and not a great one either. She'll sleep with most people, and there's a rumour that she used to be, and possibly still is, a call girl. The mousey haired girl is Constance. She's half French, half Argentinean, and she has _the_ most infectious smile you've ever seen. She's also madly in love with Jane - the girl with the blonde pixie cut, although Jane is actually a guy called James - she just hasn't had the operation yet. She's on a course of hormone treatment right now. And the crazily tall ginger guy is Diarmuid. He's Irish, if you couldn't tell, and studying for a masters in History. He has a huge fan club of women, and some men," he winked at Ciel, "that he's not exactly aware of. Oh and he blushes an awful lot."

Diarmuid must have felt their eyes on him, for he turned his head round a moment later, smiling. He waved at Alois and stared curiously at Ciel for a moment, before returning to his conversation.

At that moment, two more girls walked in and Alois needed no hint to introduce them quietly into Ciel's ear.

"The short gothic one is Amy, and the blonde one with the massive boobs is the other Jess. They... have an arrangement, let's say."

"You mean friends with benefits?" Ciel suggested.

"That's the one. Personally, I couldn't do that, but it seems to work for them.

"Yeah, each to their own," Ciel agreed, before scanning the room and noticing the couple making out in the corner that he had seen on entry. "What about them?" he asked.

Alois' eyes followed the direction of Ciel's gaze. "Oh, Izzy and Luca? Yeah, no one knows much about them except one is bi - that's all they'll say; we don't know which one - and they love eating each other's faces."

"So why are they here if they only came to make out?"

"Oh, Izzy is friends with quite a few people here so she comes to socialise sometimes, although when she brings Luca, there isn't much socialising on the menu." He said, laughing.

"Right," said Ciel, getting up. "If that's everyone, I want a drink. And once I have some alcohol in me, I'm going to introduce myself to all these people."

They walked over to the bar together and ordered their respective drinks, although once again, Alois refused to let Ciel pay.

"What was the point of bringing money if you're not going to let me spend it?" Ciel moaned once they were sitting back down and Alois was sipping his rum and coke.

"I told you not to bring any. This is my way of apologising. Now shut up and drink your beer."

They sat, drinking, in companionable silence for a while, just observing the other people in the room, and Ciel did have to admit that it was nice to be in a place where he was one hundred per cent sure that no one was going to judge him for his sexuality.

Suddenly, a movement caught his eye and he flicked his blue eye over to the door that had just been pulled open.

He barely felt his bottle slip from his grasp or heard his sharp intake of breath as he took in the sight of the man who had just entered. He didn't even notice Alois turning to look at him until he felt his friend's breath tickling his ear.

"And that... is Sebastian."

* * *

Mmmmmmmm... Sebastian... Nom. Very nom. Oh! Sorry! Didn't see you guys there! Please, join me in my Sebastian perving. You'll get more Sebby in the next chapter! *cheers and squeals* Okay! Calm down! :P

So, as I said in my A/N at the start, all the other characters in the society are based on my real friends :3 Yes, I do actually have friends outside of the internet. I say based, because not all their characteristics in the story are real, for example my friend Melissa is NOT a call girl (prostitute), and she hasn't slept with hundreds of people, and James (Jane) is NOT transgender. Also, most of them are straight, instead of having varying degrees of sexuality as they do in here. And the only real couple in real life is James (Jane) and Constance. They've been together for nearly two years!

Oh right, sorry for rambling! But yeah, reviews make me happy :)))))) and the next chapter should be up soon!

And here's a final thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed already! 3


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